Neurosurgeon Steve Shogan, who has made the U.S. Senate ballot as an unaffiliated candidate, wants to be included in debates with Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Cory Gardner.

Steve Shogan (Handout)

Shogan’s campaign manager, Sue Hoover, said letters have been sent to the candidates and other outlets requesting Shogan be included as he is a “serious” candidate.

“The fact is,” said Hoover, “there are as many voters registered in Colorado as unaffiliated as there are Republican and Democrat, so it only makes sense that an independent candidate be heard along side the party candidates.”

“Colorado has a rich tradition of open discourse,” Shogan said, in a news release. “There are many important issues on which we differ and it is important to provide the voters of this great state the opportunity to hear all of our views.”

Shogan needed to collect 1,000 valid voter signatures to make the ballot.

“My campaign will continue with support from the people of Colorado and, if elected, I will be beholden only to the people of Colorado,” he said. “My paramount purpose in this run for office is to break up the gridlock in Washington with an independent voice and swing vote in the Senate.”

Shogan, a prominent neurosurgeon in Denver for more than three decades, closed his practice shortly after announcing he would run for the Senate April 24. He already has run TV ads.

Add Cynthia Coffman to the list of politicos whose faces who will be dominating Colorado’s airwaves this fall: The Republican Attorneys General Association has reserved a stunning $2.6 million TV buy to promote her candidacy.

Attorney general candidate Cynthia Coffman makes her pitch to delegates at the GOP state assembly in Boulder April 12. (Coffman campaign)

Coffman, currently the No. 2 in the AG’s office, faces Democrat Don Quick in November for the open seat for attorney general. The winner will succeed Republican John Suthers, who is term limited and has been highly visible in recent weeks for his skirmishes over gay marriage.

The Republican Attorneys General Association is under fire in Colorado and Alabama for earlier donations to political-action committees. In Colorado, the money was used to hammer former Congressman Tom Tancredo in the governor’s primary.

The $2.6 million investment for Coffman is more than four times the amount spent by any candidate ever running for attorney general in Colorado, Quick said, and is believed to be the first time outside money has played a role in the race.

“I don’t think Colorado voters are going to like a group from the outside trying to buy the attorney general’s office,” said Quick, the former Adams County district attorney. “There may be a real estate boom right now but the attorney general’s office isn’t up for sale.”

Gov. John Hickenlooper recovered well after being late for his cue Wednesday morning at the Downtown Denver Partnership’s annual breakfast meeting.

David Kenney, a lobbyist and Democratic campaign consultant who is the new chairman of the downtown development nonprofit, introduced his longtime friend midway through the program. Trouble is, Hickenlooper, who planned to stop in to speak, was running a little behind.

After 10 seconds of applause — and no Hickenlooper — Kenney cleared his throat. “OK,” Kenney said, to chuckles. “Well, if he was here, this is what he would probably say…”

Congressional candidate George Leing, former state Senate candidate Lang Sias and the GOP gubernatorial nominee, Bob Beauprez, at a GOP governor’s debate in May in Westminster. (Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post)

Rep. Jared Polis

Congressman Jared Polis has declined a request from his Republican opponent, George Leing, to debate at Club 20’s fall meeting in Grand Junction in September.

“I expect that there will be several debates with both of us, but I don’t anticipate that any of the debates that we agree on will be out of district in Grand Junction,” Polis, a Boulder Democrat, said in an e-mail to The Denver Post Tuesday night.

Leing in a news release Tuesday said the 2nd Congressional District includes all or portions of Eagle, Grand and Summit counties, which are represented by Club 20, an influential Western Slope advocacy organization, so a debate at Club 20 is appropriate.

“The citizens of Eagle, Summit and Grand counties face some of the highest healthcare premiums in the nation, thanks in large part to Obamacare,” the Niwot attorney said. “They deserve a robust debate over the future of healthcare policy and other important issues.”

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.